IndyCar drivers will need talent this year at TMS
"Comparing it to the old car, we're not that far off on lap times," INDYCAR vice president of technology Will Phillips said. "We're running as much as 70 horsepower less than the old car, so the efficiency of the car is significantly improved."
INDYCAR issued a technical bulletin for Texas:
- The rear wing mainplane must be between minus 5 degrees and minus 10.5 degrees,
- The cars must use the standard speedway rear-wing endplate and standard rear wheel guard.
- Cars may use a two-thirds radiator inlet shutter
- Teams cannot apply rear wheel infills, sided top decks and underwing strakes and/or sidewalls.
- Front and rear wickers are one area where teams are permitted to experiment during the pre-qualifying session, which occurs between 12:30-1:45PM CDT on Friday.
Scott Dixon likes the range of options offered by INDYCAR.
"Instead of coming here with a 10-degree rear flap that created more pack racing–so people didn't have the options to try to separate themselves and create different strategies, or be fast for 20 laps but have to lift later on in the stint–there are options," he said.
"It will be difficult to drive for a race stint, which I think is good," added the Kiwi, who won the 2008 race at Texas on the way to his second series championship that year. "Having the car in a situation where you can take a lot of downforce off, it's pretty difficult, and qualifying could actually be difficult for a change. At Texas, that's pretty big."